The Patterns on the Snow
by Amel Riddle
Summary: Draco meets some new friends, who are more than anyone would think. Finished!!
1. New students

Draco stared out the window at the snow drifts on the school grounds. Another year of staying at school for Christmas. His fifth year at Hogwarts and still he had no girlfriend. He missed his home at times like this, and wanted to be there more than anything. He stood and paced his room, the large room with five four-poster beds, then sat down at the window again.  
  
As he watched, three figures spun into view, one green and black, one red, and one brown. Potter and his friends, Draco thought. He wished he could have that much fun. He was so lonely. He brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes and sighed. His father's old school books lay on the bed in a careless heap next to his bear, his old bear given to him by his dad's best friend when he was little. It was brown with the Slytherin symbol on its chest like a sweater.  
  
He hugged the bear and remembered his home. His dad didn't want him to come home because Voldemort was out to get them. He was safe at Hogwarts. No one could get him here.  
  
A puff of smoke in the distance caught his attention. The train was arriving, bringing the students back from the holidays. He stood and marched off to the bathroom to fix his robes and hair, he had to make an impression on the first years as a rich young man, not a sloppy school boy. He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a few minutes. He was handsome, pale with ice blue eyes and blonde hair. He smiled to himself and strode out of the bathroom to the great hall.  
  
The Christmas feast was early this year. The teachers seemed rattled and the sorting hat was out. New students didn't arrive after Christmas, Draco thought. When the feast was over, Dumbledore stood to address the students and teachers.  
  
"For the remainder of this year, because of safety matters, we have ordered a new protection system for the school. No, it is not the Demontors again, it is a different type of protection. We had this when I was in school here and when some of your parents were here. It is a four person army. They are called the Angels. Treat them with respect, they will be sorted into houses. Also, we will have a new Quidditch game. It will be teacher games, teachers from each house are needed. We already have the seekers and the Slytherin keeper, Professor Snape." At this, the Slytherin's applause erupted in the hall. Dumbledore waved his hand when the applause stopped, and the doors were opened.  
  
The new protectors were an amazing sight. The girls were strikingly beautiful and the boy was just as handsome. Draco could see Harry and Ron's eyes grow at the sight of them. They marched in single file, first a girl with short, black hair and red robes, followed by a girl with long, red hair and green robes. Then, the boy with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue robes, then a girl with long blonde hair and black robes. They marched to the teachers' table shaking hands with each as they went along. The blonde girl seemed not to care about the teachers that much and moved along at a slower rate than the others.  
  
After shaking hands, the protectors were lined up in front of the hall. Professor McGonagall stepped up to the sorting hat._____ 


	2. Unexpected information

"I will go in age order," Draco was surprised at this because they all looked about the same age. "Misty Yui." The black-haired girl stepped forward and the hat was placed on her head.  
  
"Yes. I see.very interesting.you should be in.RAVENCLAW." The Ravenclaw table roared with excitement. Misty smiled and went to stand at the head of her table.  
  
"Lucky Lou." The red-haired girl stepped forward. She cowered as the hat was placed on her head, as if it would bite her hair.  
  
"Oh, you're an easy one. HUFFLEPUFF." The Hufflepuff table was on their feet this time. The Gryffindor and Slytherin tables sat whispering. If that was age order, then the two left were the oldest. Draco wondered how old they were.  
  
"Shiji Winner." The boy stepped up at the sound of his name. The hat was placed on his head as he smiled.  
  
"Well.you are easy as well. There is no doubt.GRYFFINDOR." The Gryffindor table was cheering as soon as the first syllable came out of the hat. McGonagall bowed at Shiji as he took his place.  
  
"And Miss Starr Winner shall be in Slytherin, I believe she will fit in well." McGonagall bowed low to Starr as she did the same and walked to the Slytherin table. Now that she was standing in front of the Prefects, Starr looked even younger. Her eyes searched the table, stopping on Draco. She smiled kindly to him, he remembered that smile from somewhere, but where?  
  
The question haunted him for the rest of the day. At least until he saw her next. That night, Draco was going to his room after class when he passed an empty classroom and heard voices inside.  
  
"-much gratitude to you two for helping me once again." Dumbledore's voice was clear to his ears.  
  
"It is our pleasure, Albus, you know how much we love your school." A boy's voice whom he had never heard before.  
  
"Oh, be quiet, you may be happy, but I have work to do at home. I am trying to control a boy who is trying to run MY empire!" A girl with a mixed London and Arabic accent yelled out at the boy.  
  
"You be quiet, you'll wake the entire school." The boy voice raged.  
  
"Please, Starr, Shiji, please calm down. I understand about Voldemort, and I'm trying to help, but we need you right now because Slytherin is PART of your empire." Draco's eyes widened in amazement. She couldn't be who he thought she was.  
  
"You might not know, Albus, but I have only one year until I have to choose. If I don't, Dabora will have my empire and everyone will be doomed. I have lived long enough and I'm still moving around, if I have to fight him on the school grounds, we can't win this alone."  
  
"We can do this. Voldemort is your son, why can't you just order him to stop? Oh, I forgot, you lost control of him." Shiji's voice curled with an evil smile. Draco heard a smack from inside and something slammed against the door, making it fly open. Draco stepped back with Shiji at his feet. Dumbledore was staring at him, as was Starr. She looked at the professor and took a step toward Draco, but Dumbledore put his arm in front of her. Shiji's eye was turning purple slowly and he couldn't open it at the time.  
  
"So you heard all of it?" Starr looked puzzled as she looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"You knew he was there?"  
  
"Of course, I thought this conversation would be important for him to hear. If he heard most of this, he should hear the rest." Starr nodded in agreement. Her eyes returned to Draco. He looked straight into her eyes this time, they were silver and seemed to reflect too many colors. She was stunningly beautiful, though.  
  
"Starr," Dumbledore started up again, "Would you tell Mister Malfoy how old you really are?" Starr's eyes widened at the mention at his name.  
  
"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? Son of Lucias and Narcissa Malfoy?" Draco nodded his response to each. "Do you have a brown bear with the Slytherin emblem on it?" He nodded again as she smiled. "I gave you that bear." His eyes widened with awe. His dad's friend had died from denying Voldemort, ten years ago. And she would never be that young if she had known his dad. 


	3. Distant Dreams

"That's impossible, you can't be that young if you were a friend of my dad's."  
  
"Are you sure of that? All four of the protectors are older than they look, they are all much older then even me." Draco's eyes were still wide, but they grew wider. He felt another presence in the room and turned, to see Lucky and Misty, holding Harry and Ron by one foot about a foot off the floor.  
  
"Look who we found snooping around outside."  
  
"Malfoy?" Ron asked as if he couldn't believe it.  
  
"Starr was just about to tell us your real ages."  
  
"Oh, be sure to get it right this time." Lucky demanded.  
  
"Alright. Well, Misty was born in the year 1053 BC, that makes her 3053 years old; Lucky was born in.3752 BC, that makes her.5752 years old; Shiji and I were born in 5999 BC, that makes us 7999 years old." Draco felt his knees locking under him. Shiji was still on the floor, working to get his balance. Draco was loosing his balance and Shiji dived to grab him before he hit the hard stone. Draco felt Shiji hit the stone, then all was black.  
  
Draco woke up in a strange room he had never seen before.  
  
"Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" Lucky's face filled his view.  
  
"Get out of his face, he needs to breathe." Starr commanded, pushing Lucky onto the floor.  
  
"You could ask instead of just pushing me over."  
  
"Girls, please," Shiji stuck a hand between the two, "this is not the time to argue. We don't have the time. First, we have to make sure Mr. Malfoy will be alright with that bump on his head."  
  
"Don't worry about him, I can handle it." Starr cut in. Shiji frowned at her.  
  
"As I was saying.second, we need to make sure that Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley are alright. Then, we have to check on Voldemort's new accomplishments, let's hope there are not many." Lucky left the bed side where they were standing and went to another bed, where Draco saw Ron's red hair sticking out from under the covers. Misty walked to yet another bed, where Harry's glasses were on the night table. Shiji bowed to the girls and left the room.  
  
"You'll be alright, just rest," Starr's voice was soothing to Draco's ears, like a song.  
  
"Is it all true?" Starr smiled and nodded to him. She was sweet, and very pretty. She brushed his hair out of his eyes carefully. She really did seem only his age, by her looks and attitude. "How is it possible?"  
  
"I'll tell you when you wake up, but for now, go to sleep." She ran her hand over his eyes softly. Her touch was enough to put him to sleep. "I'll be right here when you do," that was the last thing he heard before slipping into distant dreams. 


	4. Snape's Heartbreak

Draco woke to the sound of yelling.  
  
"I'm only doing what's best for them." Starr's voice boomed from the far corner of the room. "It's not your business what I do what them."  
  
"Are you going to do to them what you did to me?" Draco was surprised to hear Professor Snape's voice yelling back at her. "Drop them like stones?"  
  
"I dropped no one like a stone except you because you, Severus, you turned into a snake," Starr's voice raised, now it was ear splitting, "you didn't care about anyone except yourself!" She was becoming scarier now. Draco shivered, drawing attention. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do," she turned to Draco, shunning the professor who was shaking with anger. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
"How long have I been asleep?" he was still groggy from his long slumber.  
  
"To tell the truth, about two days." She smiled lovingly.  
  
"Huh, don't be fooled by her innocence, Mr. Malfoy, she doesn't even care about you," Professor Snape laughed in the background. She snorted at the remark from behind her. Ron moaned from the next bed. Starr rushed over to him and started helping him sit up. Harry was already up and was eating some Chocolate Frogs she had given him. She handed Ron some of the blue boxes and walked back to Draco.  
  
"Feeling any better? Here." She handed him some of the boxes also, smiling. "Don't listen to Snape, the only thing he's good at is making potions."  
  
"What did he mean? You dropped him?"  
  
"Yeah, I was his 'girlfriend,' if you can call it that, for a while, but I dumped him for your father, that was about twenty-two years ago." She stared at the ceiling as she spoke as if the story was written there.  
  
"You went out with my father?" Another unbelievable statement to Draco.  
  
"From Halloween of his third year, until the end of his sixth year. Then he met Narcissa and I thought it best if he was with a regular girl." She sighed heavily, Draco saw tears in her eyes, she really did love his father. She choked back the tears and spoke again, "you need to get your strength back, go back to sleep." She ran her finger tips over his eyes again and he fell back into dreams.  
  
Draco woke slowly the next morning. Starr had fallen asleep on her arm which was resting on his bed. He sat up and brushed her hair out of her face. She sighed at this, making Draco retreat for fear of waking her. But, instead, she stayed where she was. He climbed out of the bed on the opposite side, careful not to move her. Ron and Harry were just waking up as well. Draco laughed quietly as Ron lifted his head, hair sticking out in all directions, off the pillow and stretched lazily.  
  
"What are you smirking at, Malfoy?" Ron sputtered angrily in between yawns.  
  
"Look in a mirror, Weasley, then you wouldn't blame me." Ron frowned as Harry started to laugh also, but Draco silenced them.  
  
"Do you two not see she is trying to sleep?" He pointed to Starr in the chair.  
  
"Alright then, if you're such a gentleman, Malfoy, let's see you put her in the bed with out waking her up."  
  
"Is that a challenge of my strength, Potter?"  
  
"Yes, I do believe so." Draco sighed as he walked around the bed. Starr didn't look heavy, but looks could be deceiving. He bent to pick her up, making sure Harry and Ron were watching. She was much lighter then he expected, as he laid her on the bed carefully. Ron clapped half-heartedly. Draco took a bow and cocked his eyebrow at Harry. "Fine then, Malfoy."  
  
"It seems, Potter, that we have now settled our differences."  
  
"What differences? There were no differences to begin with, just you hating us and us hating you." Harry sneered at Draco. Draco felt his cheeks burn. Ron was looking nervously from one to the other. Harry was standing at the foot of his bed now, his eyes were turning a darker green then usual. Starr shifted in the bed.  
  
"I mean, that we no longer have those reasons to hate each other. If we call a truce now, maybe I will forget the newest ways to make fun of you two. From now on, why not become friends? I mean, I'm tired of hearing my last name over and over. Just call me Draco from now on, and I'll call you Harry and Ron. How does that sound?" They must be thinking I've gone insane. What has gotten into me? Draco thought after his speech.  
  
"You won't make fun of us anymore?" Ron squeaked from under the covers of his bed.  
  
"No more jokes," he hoped it sounded like more of a bribe then a promise. Something strange had come over him and he didn't know what.  
  
As he swept his eyes over the two, he noticed a curtain behind Harry. He saw the shape of someone behind the curtain, a boy with his arms raised who was shaking with laughter. Harry followed his gaze to the curtain. Draco could see the boy pushing a girl forward.  
  
Harry approached the curtain cautiously. As he reached out for the side of the draping cloth, it was whipped out of his grasp. 


	5. Behind the Curtain

"Oh, sorry, Harry. I'm guessing you feel better," Misty sputtered as his hand nearly scratched her face. She looked past him, searching the room. Ron was standing, making the bed, now. Draco was still stunned by the curtain. Her eyes fell on Starr, still asleep on the bed.  
  
"She fell asleep on the job again. You could have woken her, she won't hurt you, unless you're dressed like Voldemort or a Death Eater, then she'll try to kill you. But, no need to worry about that, she's only tried to kill someone once, good thing Shiji was there."  
  
"She tried to kill someone?" Harry was staring at Starr, Ron's eyes were bouncing back and forth between the two girls.  
  
"Yeah, about ten years ago." Misty's eyes stayed locked on Harry. "We were at a school in Japan called Yagatzi, and the headmaster was a Death Eater. He woke her when he returned to the school, and she recognized the cloak. It took Shiji all his power to bring the man back to life."  
  
"Back to life?" Harry sounded amazed to Draco. He could tell his green eyes were growing as the words rolled out of Misty's mouth.  
  
"Yes, Shiji has the power to bring people back to life." Misty was reciting now, she had memorized her tale and was spinning it again. "Would you like to hear the story?" Harry shook his head so hard Draco could swear he heard something rattling inside. "Alright." Misty pulled a chair from behind the curtain. 


	6. The Spirits

"At the beginning of history, there were three rulers, the God of Life, the God of Death, and the Supreme God. The God of Death created a spirit to do his bidding for him, as did the God of Life. These were Satan and, at the time, the Sun. Satan found a queen one day and thought if she killed the queen and created a monster for her master, he would give her a human body. So, she killed the queen and received the body, the body of a young girl with long blonde hair and crystal eyes. The Sun became angry at her doing, and undid the queen's death. The two got into a fight, and ended up creating a creature that was neither dead nor alive. That was the first vampire. They were rewarded for their deeds by the Supreme God and were given twin bodies, the boy's looking like the girl's in almost every way.  
  
"A couple thousand years later, the two were causing wars and chaos between lands. They went to the Supreme God asking for a judge to judge which one was better. He gave them a spirit. The spirit went to earth and granted so much of the luck of the wives of the fighters, that she solved the wars and brought peace to the lands. She was rewarded by a body as well, a red- haired girl with green eyes. She could not judge the two herself, because she was not meant to, or so the prophets said.  
  
"So the battles continued and the peace was given over and over. Finally, some humans were gaining the powers of these spirits. These were the wizards of ancient times. They were learning the spirits' power and the spirits were angry with this. So they went one more time to the Supreme God and asked for another spirit to encase their power. Their wish was granted once more and I was created. I bottled the power the humans had not conquered and was rewarded with this body."  
  
The room was silent. The images of the battles clouded Draco's mind. Harry was wide-eyed. Ron had dropped the bed spread. Draco opened his mouth first.  
  
"So if she," he pointed to Starr, still sleeping, "can kill people, why can't she just kill Voldemort?"  
  
"She has to find him first, every time she strikes at him, he moves to another place. He has run everywhere, even to her, asking for mercy."  
  
"So if he attacks the castle, she can kill him?" "I don't know if she would kill him, he is her only son. If he really wants his power though, he will attack her. If he drinks her blood and Shiji's blood, he will become immortal, and he knows that. But he could never overthrow her, not even I hold enough power to do that. He would have to hurt her, either mentally or physically, so she would fall.." Misty paused, "You can go back to your classes after lunch, you haven't missed much. Snape keeps helping that Neville kid, so he hasn't taught anything." At that, she disappeared behind the curtain again. 


	7. Library Secrets

The next day at lunch, Draco felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun to see Harry and Ron standing behind him.  
  
"Meet us in front of the library in ten minutes." Harry instructed, "Hermione found some information on the protectors that she thinks is important." Then, they were gone.  
  
Draco was in front of the library early for them. After a few minutes, which was actually right on time, Ron and Harry came around the corner.  
  
"So I see you are interested. Follow me, Draco." Harry commanded. He still had the sound of hatred in his voice. But, it was slowly disappearing.  
  
Hermione was in the back of the library with four old books in front of her, of which included 'Hogwarts: A History' and 'The History of Witchcraft.' She looked up at the sound of their footsteps. Her eyes were locked on Draco.  
  
"Why is Malfoy here?"  
  
"It's alright, Hermione, and it's Draco, not Malfoy." Harry corrected.  
  
"Nice to see you today, Hermione." Draco offered. Hermione ignored him and picked up the books from the table.  
  
"Here's what I found. In 'The History of Witchcraft' it says 'The four spirits of witchcraft, Luck, Power, Life, and Death, are known for their bravery and skill in battle. It is said that any fighting force will be defeated by these spirits. Amazingly, they have brought down entire nations with a wave of a hand, or a sigh. Their power seems to be seated on the power spirit, but it is strongest in the death spirit. If any wizard drinks the blood of the life and death spirits, they will become immortal. This has never been accomplished. There is only one way to kill these spirits, wait until their 8000th birthday. If they do not find a 'partner' by then, they will turn into stone and dust.'"  
  
"Starr and Shiji will be 8000 next year!" Ron whispered excitedly.  
  
"On Halloween at midnight." Harry added.  
  
"Any way, that's what was in 'The History of Witchcraft.' Here's what's in 'Hogwarts: A History.' 'In the year 1852, Hogwarts received a new protection system against evil called the protectors. These were four spirits with human bodies, who could transform into different stages of themselves. The most praised was the Life Spirit. This was the only boy and could transform into a unicorn, a dove, a white tiger, and a creature that was a mixture of all four, with a gold horn, dove's wings, and tiger fur on the human body. The next was the Luck Spirit. This was a red- haired girl who could transform into a Chimera, an owl, a lynx, and a mixture of the four, with Chimera tail, owl wings, and lynx fur on the human body.  
  
'The third is the Power Spirit. This was a black-haired girl who could transform into a wolf, a swan, a lion, and a mixture with wolf ears and tail, a swan's wings, and a lion's fur on the human body. The final, and most hated spirit is the Death Spirit. She was a blonde girl who could transform into a Peruvian Vipertooth dragon, a black dove, a panther, and a mixture with panther's tail, ears, and fur, the dove's wings, and the dragon's scales (on arms only) on a human body.  
  
'The only time the four have turned into their creature bodies was the infamous Chamber of Secrets act in 1950 at the school. A giant snake was released into the school and the four tracked it down and killed it with great effort. Only one of the spirits is a known Parseltongue, the Death Spirit.'" 


	8. Time Passes

Strange silence spread over the group. Hermione shut the book, still staring as if the page was still there. Draco's ears picked up bits of conversation from the next table over. Ron stared at the table, shaking. Harry watched him. Finally, Ron stood and ran out of the library.  
  
Draco watched after him for a minute, then turned back to Hermione and Harry.  
  
"He'll be okay." Harry reassured them, "ever since they came here, he's been acting weird, and I caught him with Lucky a lot. While you slept, Draco, we were awake. He was off with Lucky for three hours. When I saw him next, his hair was a mess and his shirt was inside out and backward. Doesn't that say anything?" Hermione snorted.  
  
"From what I've heard he's not the only one sneaking off with the protectors. Don't think I don't know where that Marauder's Map is, Harry, I've known about you and Misty for quite some time." She turned to Draco now, "It seems as if we're the only 'normal' ones at this table, Draco. I'm sorry about snubbing you, I wasn't sure if you were all sane or not." She smiled at him. Draco gave her his half smile back and looked away.  
  
His mind traveled back to Starr. The picture of her smiling at him slipped back into his mind. You might be wrong, Hermione, he thought, I might not be as sane as you think. 


	9. Forever Young

Draco thought about her all day, he had to just see her once. Once before he would be cheering for her in the first teacher Quidditch match of the year, Slytherin verses Gryffindor. He wondered how this would turn out, the two seekers being equal in every way. The day went by slowly. His charms class droned on and on. Ron and Harry looked the same way he felt.  
  
As the giant bell on top of the tower rang, he leapt out of his seat, racing for the door. He ignored Crabbe and Goyle who were yelling his name after him and rushed to the dungeons where the protectors lived for the time being. Ron and Harry had arrived first, to Draco's surprise. The three waited for Shiji to stop talking on the other side of the door for their turn to knock.  
  
"What are you doing here, Draco?" Ron asked. Harry shushed them and put his hand over his ear. His other ear was pressed to the door.  
  
"If you ever come down here, never interrupt their plans. You can listen to them, but don't interrupt them." Harry warned. Draco nodded in understanding. After a few more minutes, three knocks came at the door. Harry answered with three more knocks. The door opened with Misty on the other side.  
  
She took one look at Draco and yelled "Starr, you have company!"  
  
"I have company? If it's Voldemort (Ron flinched) tell him we don't want any and slam the door in his face."  
  
"It's not him."  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Its Malfoy!" Starr yanked the door out of Misty's grasp. She was astounded to see him on the other side with the two others. Misty ushered Ron and Harry into the room while Starr exited to talk to him.  
  
As soon as the door was shut behind her, she turned to Draco. "I had to see you again, I. I don't know why." Starr smiled as his stuttering.  
  
"It was the same with your father. He came time after time. The only difference was, he didn't know that I could live this long or what I was, and you do. You know my power, don't you?" Draco nodded. "You can talk to me, don't be shy." A strange feeling swept over Draco as he looked in her eyes. The book was right, he thought, they are crystal. A desire to reach out and kiss her filled his mind and heart. "Don't think I can't read your mind, Draco, I know what you are thinking. Go ahead, I don't mind." She looked so innocent, like a true fifteen year old girl. 


	10. First Kiss

He wanted to feel her skin, her touch. He hadn't realized, but he was extremely close to her now. He was taller then her, only by about four inches, but he still had to bend over to reach her. Her lips were sweet against his. Their embrace was interrupted by Hermione banging a book on one of the metal pipes that connected to the dungeons.  
  
"I'm sorry to break up such a tender moment, but I need to talk to Shiji, he's supposed to help me with my Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, he knows a lot more than me in the subject."  
  
"Inside, down the hall, first door on the left, knock twice, pause, then knock three times." Starr instructed, "password is '1515 ad.'"  
  
"What was that year?"  
  
"It was the 14th Crusade in the muggle world. The first we joined as muggles. He hated it. Lucky was off trying to stop Vlad the Impaler, Misty was getting the Ministry of Magic in order, and Shiji and I were fighting on opposite sides of the war. I was for England, and he was for France. Which is better, I ask, having death or life on your side?"  
  
"Well, it would depend which was stronger. Death because you could have mass murder, or life to support your soldiers."  
  
"Correct." Starr moved out of the way for Hermione to pass.  
  
"I better go," Draco implored. Starr looked hurt. "Maybe again." He kissed her again and left. 


	11. The Pain of Quidditch

The first Quidditch match of the teacher season and everyone was on the edges of their seats. The teams were picked. There were four seekers and four captains who picked the rest of the team. Starr and Shiji hadn't talked all morning, he was talking to professor McGonagall and she was talking to professor Trelawney. Professor Snape was edgy. Professor Dibbs, the apparition teacher, was whispering to him.  
  
After breakfast, the students were ushered to the stadium by Hagrid and Filch. The teams were sorted before the match and the remaining teachers were in the teachers' box. The wooden doors were opened and the teachers flew out. On Gryffindor, professors McGonagall, Hooch, Pomphrey, Thentear (the Flying tutor who flew to the United States to teach), Hetak (the Foreign Arts teacher), and Kaek (the Ancient Arts teacher). On Slytherin, professors Snape, Dibbs, Trelawney, Kilth (the new Dark Arts teacher), Cragshaft (the Dark Arts tutor who flew to the United States to teach other students), and Matwick (the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher).  
  
The seekers were last to be let out. Starr and Shiji flew though the doors like rockets, their wings streaked across the grass below them. Starr flew toward the Slytherins and waved to her team. Her wings were stretched to their full extent, she had a twenty foot wingspan. Shiji raced past her and she turned and dove for the ground. Her hands brushed the ground, leaving dark streaks of dead grass behind her. She was graceful in the air, as if it was her second home.  
  
A substitute referee from the Hufflepuff house came to the middle of the ring. Her name was Gina McMalifer, the Hufflepuff head-girl, she had red- brown hair and brown eyes. She strode to the center of the pitch. The snitch and bludgers were set loose, then the quaffle was thrown up. Starr and Shiji hovered at fifty feet above the pitch.  
  
When Gryffindor was ahead by eighty points, Starr's eyes opened wide. She started into a 'Dead-Man's Dive' to the pitch. Shiji hadn't noticed until the Slytherins started yelling with joy. The snitch was a few inches off the pitch, and Starr was closing fast. Shiji was closing in on her. The snitch flew a few feet in front of her. Shiji flew over her, they were equally fast. Starr flipped herself over and started talking to Shiji. When he wasn't paying attention, she whipped her tail around his waist and threw him as far as she could while still flying. She flipped herself over again and raced after the snitch. Her arm was out-stretched to the flying ball in front of her. She made a grab for it, catching it, and slammed into the ground, sliding a few dozen feet. 


	12. The Battle Begins

She was brought to the hospital wing to have her broken arm, leg, and wing fixed. Draco's visits grew to be a normal chore, the only one he had ever liked.no.loved. When she was back in the dungeons, his visits were not only after classes, but nightly. He stayed with her for hours and some times over night. She told him stories of ancient times. He found out her hall nights and followed her around. She would come to his room on nights he didn't come to her room. She would sit by the window or on his bed, even lay down beside him and run her fingers through his hair.  
  
One night, she was in his room when a loud crash woke him up. She was standing at the window staring out.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Something down stairs, I'm waiting for Shiji's symbol." She was solemn as she stared out the window. A glimmer of purple flashed out the window. Starr's eyes gleamed in the light. She stalked to the door.  
  
"Stay here, no matter what."  
  
"I won't let you go alone." Draco was serious. He stood and started dressing. She, surprisingly, waited for him. They marched together down the stairs.  
  
"What ever happens, don't do anything. I don't want you getting hurt. You must stay out of this." She warned. They stepped through the doors to the main hall. There was already a fight breaking out in the group. There were a hundred or so Death Eaters fighting in front of a large black winged horse with a cloaked figure on it. Starr motioned for Draco to go to the corner, he obeyed. Starr floated above the fights to the winged horse. The figure jumped off the horse to the ground. She landed at the same time as he did. He pulled out his wand and she ripped off her necklace, the star jewel. She held it out and it glowed brightly. Her eyes were locked on the cloak. The light spread until it covered her. When she emerged from the light, she had cat ears, tail, and fur, black wings, scales. She pulled a sword from the remaining light. Draco could barely see the fight, but he could hear it plain as day. The cloaked figure was Lord Voldemort, and Starr was fighting him. 


	13. The Final Meeting

At one point, Draco heard a crack and a scream and saw Starr plunging to the floor, her wings, broken. Later, Voldemort dragged her near him. Her arm was hanging, debilitated, beside her. He raised her in front of Draco's face.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, do you love this whore? Of course you do. Who couldn't. It is her fault this world is as it is now. She killed my father and she will pay. I will rid her from your life and send this bitch back to hell. Gaze in her eyes once more." Draco shivered with anger and fear. Voldemort lifted Starr in front of him, "you will no longer fuck those bastards who are driven insane by your beauty. You damned me the moment you fucked my father, and now your turn has come. You are now to fall, bitch." Voldemort turned to Draco, looked back at Starr and picked up a spear from a fallen Death Eater. He threw Starr a few feet and raised the spear. She fell against professor Dibbs, who was dead with his own spear jabbed through his throat. Draco watched in horror as Voldemort thrust the spear in her left eye. Her screams rang out, breaking the glass of the hall. She pitched backward, the spear still in her eye, as she yanked at the wooded handle.  
  
After ripping the handle out of the hole where her eye had once been, she staggered to her feet. The blood from the wound ran down her face and stained her hair. She was breathing hard. She picked up the blade she had carried a thrust it forward in to Voldemort. His laughter filled the room as he grabbed her again and cracked her leg.  
  
By this time, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing behind Draco as he cried. Hermione tried to calm him by placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Voldemort!" Draco yelled out, "you seem so brave when she cannot do anything to hurt you, but what if she set up a way for your death? What if there is a way to kill you, while you kill her?" Voldemort turned to Draco in confusion. Harry, Ron, and Hermione raised their wands at Voldemort. At the same time, the three cast three different curses, Harry, the Crucus; Hermione, the Imperious, and Ron, who couldn't think of any curses) just yelled out "Acceto Hedwig." Voldemort fell to his knees, weakened by the blows, as Draco raised his wand.  
  
"You should only be finished by the one who hates you most. That is Starr. Because she wanted you dead so badly, I will do it for her. This is something I learned from her. Aleca Setmentia!" he cried out at Voldemort. A brilliant blue light shot out of the wand him. Voldemort screamed once, then turned to dust, his screams echoing away as he, himself blew off into the snow he had created with the coldness of his heart.  
  
"What was that spell?" Ron asked.  
  
"A disintegrating spell." Hermione murmured. Draco rushed over to Starr. Her eye was open and she stared in his eyes. The blood from the wound was still flowing down her face and through her hair onto the floor. The hole where her eye had been was forced shut. Draco started to cry and she reached up to put her hand on his face. They kissed. As the kiss went on, Starr fell limp in his arms. 


	14. Goodbye's Kiss

The next day was the final ceremony. Starr was fixed up and had a patch over her eye, which was swollen shut anyway. She couldn't move to the full extent. Shiji was nursing the stump of his lost arm. Lucky's arms were limp as she poured a sour smelling liquid. Her bones in the arm had been melted from heat of a fire. Misty's face had a mask over it from getting acid splashed on her. The skin under the mask had burnt off. Only the eight of them knew the story of what had happened.  
  
"The protectors will not be coming back," Dumbledore began, "as you know, Voldemort is dead and the story is for them to remember only. I suspect that they have chosen their final partners, and will be leaving with them before the rest of you leave. Most of you have had a wonderful year, and we have some awards to give. Professor McGonagall."  
  
"I award a teacher a position he has wanted for years. Professor Severus Snape, you shall be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Professor Dibbs was not at the table and Draco suspected he had been a Death Eater, not an innocent bystander (he didn't find out Starr had hit him until later).  
  
Dumbledore stood again, "And finally, protectors." They stood. One at a time, they called out names.  
  
"Harry Sirius Potter."  
  
"Ronald James Weasley."  
  
"Hermione Jean Granger and Draco Lucifer Malfoy." Starr couldn't speak at the time, she hadn't spoken since she had the spear in her eye. The four approached the front. As the four protectors and their partners joined hands, winds started in the room. The candles were blown out as the winds grew. Draco closed his eyes for a minute as the winds blew through his hair. As the rest of the school watched, the eight of them disappeared with a puff of smoke. Draco was home at last, even if his father wasn't there. In his and his father's lover's arms forever he would be. With out a doubt. Forever and always.  
  
The eight of them have been seen in battles and in different places at certain times. They are always in groups of two or more, never is one alone. They are asked for, for guidance and luck as well as hope and a long life. They answer people's wishes in their own ways, as long as it is done. They count on the wishes to live, even though their life is over. They are the Angels, the Protectors, the Watchers. If ever in doubt, just ask for something, luck, life, death, strength to go on, and you shall receive it. They watch over us all, in sickness and health, rich or poor, living or dead, young or old, believing or not. They watch over us and cherish us with the love they show for each other, unbreakable love. Love that can melt the snow of hate around them, and leave their pattern. And always will, until the end of time. 


End file.
